Today's 20th Fighter Wing
(FW) can trace its lineage to the initial creation, on 28 July
1947, of the 20th Fighter Wing, organized (manned) on
15 August of the same year at Shaw Field, South Carolina, as a
Ninth Air Force unit. Components of the new fighter wing included
the 20th Maintenance and Supply Group, the
20th Airdrome Group, and the 20th Station
Medical Group (later Tactical Hospital). At the same time, the
20th FG with its 55th, 77th, and
79th FSs and P-51 Mustangs formed the combat element
of the 20th FW. The group exchanged its P-51s in
February 1948 for P-84B (later D) Thunderjets.

On 24 August 1948, a reorganization of the
20th Maintenance and Supply Group featured the
activation of the 20th Supply Squadron, Fighter, Jet
(later simplified to 20th Supply Squadron) and the
20th Maintenance Squadron, Fighter, Jet (renamed
20th Maintenance Squadron in 1950, 20th
Field Maintenance Squadron in 1954, and 20th Equipment
Maintenance Squadron in 1981).

Two days later, on 26 August 1948, the
wing's 20th Airdrome Group was discontinued and
its security police (now the 20th Security Police
Squadron), installations, food service and air base elements
became realigned under the 20th Air Base Group. The
creation of the new group fostered the activation of the
20th Finance Disbursing Unit (today's
20th Comptroller Squadron), the 20th Motor
Vehicle Squadron (predecessor of the 20th
Transportation Squadron), the 20th Installations
Squadron (redesignated 20th Civil Engineering Squadron
fourteen years later), the 20th Food Service Squadron
(antecedent of the 20th Services Squadron), and the
20th Communications Squadron (no relation to the
communications organizations serving the wing today).

20thBecomes Fighter Bomber
Wing

Control over the wing changed hands on 1
February 1949 with its assignment to the Fourteenth Air Force.
Eleven months later, on 20 January 1950, the wing was
redesignated as the 20th Fighter Bomber Wing (FBW).
Similar redesignations altered the titles of the 20th
Group and its three flying squadrons.

The Korean War had just begun. USAF plans
had been to send the SAC 12th FW to England to bolster
the forces in Europe. But the Cold War got hot before the
12th's F-84s were ready to go. The
20th D.O. was called from a Saturday night party at
the club to take a message that the 20th was going to
England. The 20th had about seven days to get ready.
Getting ready included receiving a set of two-230 gallon tip
tanks for each airplane to replace the two-185 gallon tanks we
had been provided with our F-84Ds. On 19 July 1950 the
20th Fighter Bomber Group (FBG) under the command of
Colonel John Dunning executed the first movement of a full jet
fighter group to Europe. The 20th flew their F-84Ds
from Shaw AFB to Dow AFB Maine. At Dow AFB a message was received
to remove personal baggage from the .50 cal. ammunition
compartments so that live ammunition could be loaded.
Headquarters felt there was a strong possibility that the Soviets
would try to interfere with the movement of the unit to England.
The 20th would then continue on its movement without
Soviet action via Goose Bay Labrador, Bluie West One, Greenland,
Keflavik, Iceland, Kinross, Scotland and finally to Manston,
England. Half way between Greenland and Iceland one of the F-84s
had an engine flame out. The pilot bailed out but died from
exposure before the rescue vessel could reach him. On the return
trip all pilots wore their anti-exposure suits. One of the
primary reasons for this move was to discourage the Soviets from
taking any action in Europe while we were preoccupied with the
Korean War. The 20th returned to Shaw in December 1950
after a five month stay at RAF Manston.

F-84D of the 55th Fighter Bomber Squadron at
RAF Manston 1950. Photo by William Preble

Subordinancy to the Fourteenth Air Force
was short lived. On 1 August 1950 the wing was reassigned
directly under Tactical Air Command. Ninth Air Force resumed
control over the 20th on 22 January 1951. Control was
swapped back to Tactical Air Command on 1 December 1951, just
after the wing's relocation from Shaw to Langley AFB,
Virginia. At Langley, the wing began flying new Republic F-84Gs
in addition to F-84Ds. An internal change during the wing's
short stay at Shaw Field featured the 3 November 1949
inactivation of the 20th Finance Disbursing Unit.

The 20thGoes Nuclear

The 20th FBW moved to Langley
AFB, Virginia on 19 September 1951. Earlier a cadre of seven
members of the 20th had spent time at Langley secretly
learning the ins and outs of nuclear weapons delivery. There they
worked out procedures for accomplishing this using their soon to
be assigned F-84Gs. One big hurdle would be to develop procedures
for navigation to the target, on average 700 miles, without
navigation aids of any kind with the exception of the compass.
With the 20th's move to Langley the procedures
developed by the initial cadre would be passed on to the rest of
the wing. As told by Col. George M. Lunsford USAF (Ret), Col.
Dunning said we would be the world's first atomic fighter
outfit. We'd move up to Langley in the autumn of ‘51,
pick up more than a hundred new airplanes, and reorganize
completely. We'd learn to drop that damned bomb and get
away. And we would do it all by the spring of ‘52 because
we were going back to England again. In true 20th
tradition they became fully trained in this new mission and the
20th moved to England to add to the growing deterrent
of Soviet aggression.

Move to Wethersfield May 1952

The 20th FBW made its second
move, this time overseas to RAF Wethersfield in Essex, England,
on 1 June 1952. Its fighter bomber group set up headquarters,
along with the 55th and 77th FBSs, at
Wethersfield a day later. Restricted space there compelled the
79th FBS to move into RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk,
England, on the same day. (The squadron moved to RAF Woodbridge,
three miles southeast of Bentwaters, on 1 October 1954.) On 5
June, Tactical Air Command relinquished control over the wing to
the Third Air Force and the United States Air Forces in
Europe.

On 15 November 1952, the wing and group
merged their headquarters through internal reorganization, thus
unofficially dissolving the group and placing the flying
squadrons directly under the wing's operational and
administrative control. The group remained on the Air
Force's active list however, until 8 February 1955 when the
three fighter bomber squadrons were officially realigned under
the wing.

Wing Bestowed With Group's Heritage

The Department of the Air Force temporarily
bestowed the lineage and honors of the 20th Group on
the 20th Wing in November 1954. That action was
accomplished to facilitate the Air Force's adoption of a
wing base plan, making the wing the primary combat element of
operational organizations. Consequent to the action of temporary
bestowal, the 20th TFW laid claim to the lineage,
honors, and history of the 20th FG. That bestowal has
remained in effect ever since. The 20th has been very
fortunate to have kept its original squadrons throughout its
history since the 79th joined the 55th and
77th in 1933. As far as this historian has been able
to determine the 20th is the only unit to still have
its original squadrons.

F-84F of the 77th FBS at RAF Wethersfield.
Photo by R. L. Ward

In June 1955, the wing began flying F-84F
Thunderstreaks in addition to its F-84Ds and F-84Gs. The F-84G
was phased out by June 1955 and the F-84F remained in the
inventory until December 1957.

The F-100 Arrives

F-100D of the 55th FBS c.1957 at RAF
Wethersfield. Photo by B. Robertson

Prior to the departure of the F-84 fleet,
the 20th began conversion to North American F-100D and
F-100F Super Sabres on 16 June 1957.

Meanwhile, on 26 January 1956 the wing
underwent a major internal reorganization with the inactivation
of the 20th Maintenance and Supply Group and the
realignment of its 20th Field Maintenance and
20th Supply Squadrons under the air base group which
was then redesignated as the 20th Support Group. At
the same time, the 20th Installations Squadron and
20th Food Service Squadron were also inactivated (they
reemerged as the 20th Civil Engineering Squadron and
20th Services Squadron on 16 January 1962 and 1
February 1982, respectively), the 20th Air Base
Squadron was activated, and the 20th Communications
Squadron was redesignated as the 20th Operations
Squadron (this squadron remained with the wing until its
inactivation on 1 July 1958). The wing initiated air to air
gunnery training in August, 1956, in the F-84F at Nouasseur (near
Casablanca), Morocco.

Wheelus Operation Begins

The 20th FBW established an
operational detachment at Wheelus AB, Libya in February 1958. On
8 February 1958, the 20th Field Maintenance Squadron
was realigned again, this time directly under the wing. Three
months later, on 8 May 1958, the wing took on the designation of
the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing. The 55th,
77th and 79th Squadrons were also
re-labeled as Tactical Fighter Squadrons at that time. Two
additional maintenance squadrons were added to the wing on the
same day with the activation of the 20th Armament and
Electronic Maintenance Squadron (renamed 20th Avionics
Maintenance Squadron in 1981) and the 20th Periodic
Maintenance Squadron (which became the 20th
Organizational Maintenance Squadron in 1964 and the
20th Aircraft Generation Squadron in 1981). The flying
squadrons dispersed on a monthly rotational basis to RAF
Alconbury, RAF Woodbridge, and Nouasseur AB, Morocco, due to a
RAF Wethersfield runway closure from May to August 1958.

The 20thGoes on Full Time Nuclear
Alert

1961 First NATO Tiger Meet. 79th TFS gets a new
Tiger head.

Although the 20th had nuclear
strike capability since 1952 it would only stand alert if
specific world events called for it. In July of 1958 the wing
established its Blast Off (later named Victor Alert) capability
and would maintain this capability until 7 February 1986. The
first Mobility Plan was initiated on 1 January 1959. A year round
weapons training detachment was established at Wheelus AB, Libya,
for monthly squadron rotations, January 1959 to September 1969.
Pilot survival and ski training began in Norway in February 1959.
The 20th Tactical Fighter Wing represented USAFE in
the William Tell exercise held at Nellis AFB, Nevada in October
1960.

The first NATO Tiger meet was sponsored by
the 79th TFS Tiger Squadron at RAF Woodbridge in June
1961 (established by Captains Michael T Dugan and Merrill A
McPeak, each of whom went on to become Air Force Chief of
Staff).

Maintenance Structural Reorganization -- The First of Many

20th TFW F-100Ds lined up on Wheelus flight
line around 1962. Photo by Harv Segrest

Intermediate command over the
20th changed hands between Third Air Force and 16th
Air Force from 1 July 1961 to 1 September 1963. In the meantime,
internal changes again altered the structure of the wing. 16
January marked the activation of the 20th Civil
Engineering Squadron, a unit that had been dormant for six years.
On 15 June, 1962, the 20th Support Group was
redesignated as the 20th Combat Support Group and the
20th Supply Squadron was realigned under the wing and
its newly appointed office of Deputy Commander for Materiel
(DCM). On the same day, the 20th Consolidated Aircraft
Maintenance Squadron came into being, along with the inactivation
of the 20th Field Maintenance, Periodic Maintenance,
and Armament and Electronic Maintenance Squadrons, and the
consolidation of their assets under the new squadron. The CAMS
Squadron fell under the DCM. Direction and control over the
wing's three flying squadrons went to another newly formed
office -- Deputy Commander for Operations (DCO) -- on the same
day.

Maintenance consolidation lasted only two
years, and on 8 July 1964, the wing dissolved the Consolidated
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Two months earlier, on 14 May
1964, the 20th Armament and Electronics Maintenance
Squadron and the 20th Field Maintenance Squadron
reemerged and the wing activated the 20th
Organizational Maintenance Squadron (formerly Periodic). On 8
July 1964, two new maintenance squadrons joined the wing
organization -- the 320th Munitions Maintenance
Squadron and the 20th Flight line Maintenance
Squadron. The latter was stationed at RAF Woodbridge with the
79th TFS for less than two years. It was inactivated
on 15 December 1965, when the 79th TFS absorbed its
personnel and equipment. The complexion of the
20th's maintenance community changed again on 1
January 1966 with the inactivation of the 20th
Organizational Maintenance Squadron. The wing parceled out the
personnel and equipment of that squadron to maintenance
components of the 55th and 77th TFS.

Rotations to Turkey Begin

Monthly rotations to Cigli AB, Turkey were
conducted from July 1966 to June 1970 and to Aviano AB, Italy
from December 1966 to June 1970. Political closures of US bases
in France forced opening of RAF Greenham Common under
20th TFW management to handle personnel overflow in
January 1967.

The General Dynamics F-111 was demonstrated
for the first time in England at RAF Wethersfield.

On 1 July 1967, the administrative sections
of the wing and combat support group merged to form the
20th Base Headquarters Squadron. Though it never
achieved formal squadron status by definition, that organization
retained its unofficial designation until its demise on 1 June
1989 when it was functionally replaced by the 20th
Mission Support Squadron. A final, though minor, organizational
revision during the decade of the ‘60s featured the
redesignation of the 20th Armament and Electronics
Squadron as the 20th Avionics Maintenance Squadron on
1 January 1969.

Wheelus Closes

A military coup in Libya forced the closure
of Wheelus AB in September 1969 and initiation of 20th
TFW weapons training detachment operations at Torrejon AB, Spain
in November 1969.

Detachment 1, 20th TFW was
established at RAF Upper Heyford on 10 December 1969.

All three flying squadrons rotated to
Zaragoza, Spain for weapons training from January to March
1970.

Relocation to Upper Heyford F-111 Era Begins

Headquarters, 20th TFW relocated
from RAF Wethersfield to RAF Upper Heyford on 1 June 1970. For
the first time since it left Virginia in 1952, all three of its
flying squadrons were united on one home base. Less than three
months later, the wing began converting to a new aircraft, the
General Dynamics F-111E Aardvark (unofficially). On 12 September
1970, the first two F-111Es arrived at RAF Upper Heyford. The
last of the 20th's F-100s transferred to the Air
National Guard on 12 February 1971 and in November of that year
the wing's F-111s were declared operationally ready.

Reorganization of the wing's
maintenance community continued and, on 1 February 1972, the
20th Organizational Maintenance Squadron was activated
for a second time, shifting maintenance personnel and equipment
back out of the flying squadrons. Eight months later, on 1
September 1972, the 320th Munitions Maintenance
Squadron was redesignated as the 20th Munitions
Maintenance Squadron.

Half a year later, on 5 March 1973, the
20th TFW became one of only two wings in the Air Force
to participate in the tri-deputy wing organization system. The
Deputy Commander for Materiel organization split apart to form
the Deputy Commander for Logistics (renamed Deputy Commander for
Resources in 1974 and Deputy Commander for Resource Management in
1975) and the Deputy Commander for Maintenance organizations.
Under this test the Organizational, Field, Avionics, and
Munitions Maintenance Squadrons became prime components of the
Deputy Commander for Maintenance organization. The procurement
and comptroller offices, along with the 20th Supply
and 20th Transportation Squadrons (moved under the
Combat Support Group) constituted the Deputy Commander for
Logistics organization. The tri-deputy system was formally
approved in the following year and the 20th
Transportation Squadron was officially realigned from the Combat
Support Group to the Deputy Commander for Resource on 24 July
1974.

Operations moved to RAF Greenham Common May
to August 1976, during runway work at Upper Heyford.

Maintenance Reorganizes - Again

Another major maintenance organizational
restructuring occurred on 31 October 1981. HQ USAFE redesignated
the 20th Avionics Maintenance Squadron as the
20th Component Repair Squadron, renamed the
20th Organizational Maintenance Squadron as the
20th Generation Squadron, and the 20th
Field Maintenance as the 20th Equipment Maintenance
Squadron. At the same time, it activated the 520th
Aircraft Generation Squadron and inactivated the 20th
Munitions Maintenance Squadron.

On 1 February 1982 HQ USAFE activated the
20th Services Squadron of the 20th Combat
Support Group. A former component of the 20th TFW,
this squadron traced its roots back to June 1948 when it was
first constituted as the 20th Food Service
Squadron.

The EF-111A Ravens Arrive -- A Squadron Gained

The wing gained a fourth flying squadron on
1 July 1983, with the activation of the 42nd
Electronic Combat Squadron. In February 1984, the first EF-111A
Ravens of that squadron arrived at Upper Heyford. Parental
responsibility over the 42nd by the 20th
TFW was short lived, however, and on 1 June 1985, operational
control of the squadron shifted to the 66th Electronic
Combat Wing at Sembach AB, West Germany.

EF-111A of the 42nd ECS at RAF Upper Heyford.

Summer 1985 featured two organizational
changes. First, on 1 July HQ USAFE activated the 20th
Comptroller Squadron 35 years after its disbandment as the
20th Finance Disbursing Unit (Fighter Jet), Shaw AFB,
NC. The second change involved the activation of the
7320th Security Police Group and the 7320th
Security Police Squadron. Control over the 20th
Security Police Squadron, already serving the wing, shifted from
the 20th Combat Support Group to the new Security
Police Group. The commander's title changed to Deputy
Commander for Security Police in March 1986.

Ghost Rider and El Dorado Canyon

During the early hours of 16 October 1985
the 20th TFW received a no notice tasking to bomb a
target 2,400 miles away in Goose Bay, Labrador within 46 hours.
At the time this was the longest tactical air mission ever
attempted. This exercise was code named Ghost Rider and was a
complete success. It demonstrated the F-111's ability to
project its capabilities over great distances. Although not known
at the time, this mission was the dress rehearsal for the
retaliatory strike on Libya on 14 April 1986 in response to its
State Sponsored Terrorism.

In March 1986, the 66th
Electronic Combat Wing detached the 42nd ECS to the
20th TFW to take part in El Dorado Canyon, the raid on
Libya. On 14 April 1986, five EF-111As and 20 F-111As took off
from RAF Upper Heyford as part of the attack force. They were
used as an airborne reserve for the F-111Fs of the
48th TFW, RAF Lakenheath. Three EF-111s (two were
spares and turned back) formed up with the
48th's F-111Fs and provided electronic defense
during the attack on Tripoli.

USAFE initiated the Project Power Hunter
intelligence network in December 1987. The wing first tested the
Durandal runway buster bombs during Exercise Red Flag, January to
February 1988.

The lifelines of the 7320th
Security Police Group and Squadron were terminated on 21 October,
1988, when they were inactivated and functionally replaced by the
20th Security Police Group and the 620th
Security Police Squadron. The 20th Security Police
Squadron was realigned under the new group.

WTD in Turkey

All three fighter squadrons deployed to
Incirlik AB, Turkey for Weapons Training Deployment (WTD) on
Konya Range from March to May 1989.

On 1 June 1989, HQ USAFE dissolved the
20th Base Headquarters Squadron and activated the
20th Mission Support Squadron under the
20th Combat Support Group. The new organization
provided squadron level control over various base administrative
agencies formerly regulated by the combat support group directly.
Among these were Military Personnel, Civilian Personnel, Base
Administration (renamed Information Management), Education
Services, Social Actions, Family Support, Dependent Schools
Office, and the NCO Preparatory School.

F-111E of the 79th TFS during a typical sunny RAF Upper Heyford day.

The first F-111E modified under the
Aircraft Modernization Program (AMP) arrived in February
1990.

The 79th TFS sent aircrews to
participate in Cold Fire ‘90 events from 11 to 26 January
1990.

From 2 through 20 March 1990, aircrews of
the 20th TFW participated in Red Flag 90-3.

The 79th TFS participated in a
Mallet Blow exercise from 26 to 29 March 1990. These exercises
tested the United Kingdom's air defenses.

On 15 April, 20th TFW air and
ground crews undertook Weapons System Evaluation Program (WSEP)
training during Combat Hammer 90-7 at Mountain Home AFB,
Idaho.

Aircrews of the 79th TFS
participated in a United Kingdom exercise called Elder
Forest.

From 2 to 16 May, the 77th TFS
deployed to Aviano AB, Italy, to participate in a Southern Region
exercise called Dragon Hammer ‘90.

Aircrews of the 79th TFS flew in
a Baltic maritime exercise called Brazen Deed on 12 June
1990.

The 870th Contingency Hospital,
located at RAF Little Rissington, was assigned to the
20th TFW on 1 July 1990.

The 79th TFS hosted the 1990
NATO Tiger meet from 12 to 17 September 1990.

On 25 September the 2168th
Communications Squadron, RAF Croughton, was assigned to the
20th TFW.

Iraq Invasion of Kuwait -- Desert Storm Begins

The 20th TFW had aircraft
deployed to Incirlik AB, Turkey for a Weapons Training Deployment
in August 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait and Desert Shield began.
As the start of the air campaign neared, the wing reinforced its
presence as all US aircraft at Incirlik were incorporated into
the 7440th Wing (Provisional), Operation Proven Force,
for the duration of the war. The wing also deployed four
42nd ECS EF-111As and 80 personnel to Taif, Saudi
Arabia, to support Operation Desert Storm.

First Kill

On 25 January 1991 the wing was once again
up to four flying squadrons when the 42nd ECS was
reassigned to the 20th from the 66th
Electronic Combat Wing.

On 16 January 1991 a 42nd ECS
EF-111A, operating from Taif, was credited with the first aerial
kill of the war. It was attacked by an Iraqi Mirage fighter while
flying a night mission near the Saudi-Iraq border. To defeat the
Iraqi fighter, the EF-111A descended to minimum altitude on its
Terrain Following Radar (TFR). The Mirage slammed into the ground
while trying to follow the EF-111A.

On 17 January 1991, 20th TFW
aircraft launched combat missions from both Turkey and Saudi
Arabia and continued flying combat missions until the cease fire.
The F-111s flying from Turkey flew night missions throughout the
war, using the TFR to penetrate the dense anti-aircraft artillery
(AAA) environment at altitudes around 200 feet for the first few
nights. Crews who flew those first few terrifying nights said
that the illumination from the AAA was so bright that they
didn't need the TFR to avoid the ground. After the missile
threat was suppressed, crews flew their attacks at altitudes
around 20,000 feet, above the range of most Iraqi AAA
systems.

SrA David Herdick inspects the exhaust nozzles
on the afterburners duct segment of a 20th TFW F-111E. USAF
Photo

After midnight 18 January, 20th
TFW F-111Es raced into Iraq at low level to destroy four EW radar
sites in northern Iraq and open an electronic gate. The sky was
overcast at 3,000 feet with visibility at three miles with fog.
Despite the poor weather, the 20th crews found the
targets and delivered their ordnance, encountering little Iraqi
resistance. These, and subsequent missions forced Iraqi
commanders to contend with attacks from all directions and to
respond to a second air front as well as a potential second
ground front.

During the war, the F-111s attacked a range
of targets, including power plants, petroleum refineries,
airfield, nuclear, biological, chemical processing and storage
facilities, and electronics sites throughout northern Iraq using
500 and 2,000 pound conventional bombs, and CBU 87/89 cluster
bombs. Wing EF-111As flew both day and night missions, providing
direct and stand off jamming for all coalition air forces. The
skill and conspicuous bravery of wing aircrews was recognized in
the award of numerous Silver Stars, Distinguished Flying Crosses,
and Air Medals.

By the end of the conflict, Saudi based
EF-111As had flown 219 combat missions, totaling 1,155 flying
hours. The wing's six EF-111As based in Turkey flew 252
combat missions, totaling 704 hours, while the 23 F-111Es at
Incirlik flew 456 combat missions, a total of 1,327 combat
hours.

When Desert Storm ended, the wing had
deployed 458 personnel, flown 1,798 combat sorties without a
loss, and dropped 4,714 tons of ordnance.

Upper Heyford Becomes Desert Storm Evacuation Center

During this period, RAF Upper Heyford was
designated as the Regional Evacuation Control Center. To
accomplish this mission, the 20th activated the
contingency hospital complex to support Desert Storm. The wing
accomplished major facility upgrades at RAF Bicester, RAF Little
Rissington, and RAF Croughton in record time. The wing provided
food, transportation and lodging requirements, as well as
personnel, recreational, legal, and financial services to support
5,000 augmenting personnel and an anticipated 2,000 patients.

EF-111A of the 42nd ECS prior to takeoff for
deployment to Turkey in support of Operation Provide Comfort 23
September 1991. USAF Photo.

In the first 6 months of 1991, Transient
Alert personnel, in support of Desert Storm, serviced and
launched the largest number of transient aircraft in the history
of RAF Upper Heyford -- 1,408 aircraft.

On 9 March 1991, 27 of the 28 deployed
F-111Es and EF-111As, along with the support personnel, returned
home from Incirlik AB, Turkey.

The 42nd ECS redeployed to
Incirlik in support of Operation Provide Comfort on 6 April
1991.

In May, 42nd ECS Avionics
Maintenance Unit personnel -- deployed to Saudi Arabia since
December 1990 -- returned to Upper Heyford. Other 42nd
ECS/AMU personnel rotated into Saudi in the same month.

Eight months after it was assigned to the
20th TFW, the 2168th Communications
Squadron was redesignated the 620th Communications
Squadron on 1 May 1991.

20thWing Organizational Growth

On 16 July, three units were attached to
the 20th TFW, the 850th Munitions
Maintenance Squadron at RAF Welford, the 7501st Air
Base Squadron at RAF Greenham Common, and Detachment 1,
7501st Air Base Squadron at RAF Welford.

Returning to normal operations,
20th TFW aircrews participated in the NATO Central
Enterprise 91 exercise from 10 to 14 June 1991. On 19 July 1991,
the 79th TFS took top honors at the International Air
Tattoo held at RAF Fairford.

The wing held a homecoming celebration for
42nd ECS aircrews and support personnel returning from
Operation Provide Comfort deployment on 14 August 1991.

Wing aircrews flew in support of Elder
Joust from 10 to 12 September 1991.

On 31 September 1991, another rotation of
42nd ECS personnel to Saudi Arabia took place.

The 20thFighter Wing Name Returns

The 20th Tactical Fighter Wing,
along with the associated 55th, 77th, and
79th Tactical Fighter Squadrons were officially
redesignated the 20th Fighter Wing and
55th, 77th, and 79th Fighter
Squadrons on 1 October 1991. Also on that date, Detachment 17,
28th Weather Squadron was inactivated from the Air
Weather Service and reactivated as the Weather Flight of the
20th FW.

During October 1991, wing air and ground
crews competed in Gunsmoke 91 at Nellis AFB, Nevada. On 23
October, the Gunsmoke team returned home with top honors and the
F-111 Bombing trophy.

Finally, the 2130th
Communications Group, RAF Croughton, and the 2118th
Communications Squadron, RAF Uxbridge, were realigned from direct
reporting units of HQ Third Air Force to become units assigned to
the 20th Fighter Wing on 1 November 1991.

Last photo of the four squadrons together. USAF Photo

20th Fighter Wing aircrews
participated in Green Flag 92 from 27 February to 13 April. This
gave most of the wing's aircrew the opportunity to deliver
GBU-12 laser guided bombs in a near combat environment.

In May 1992, the 55th Fighter
Squadron deployed to Aviano, Italy for Dragon Hammer 92.

Approximately a year and a half after
regaining the 42nd ECS, the wing lost it again when
the 42nd was inactivated on 10 July 1992. The last
EF-111A departed Upper Heyford in August 1992.

75th Anniversaries

The wing celebrated the 75th
anniversary of the 55th Fighter Squadron from 7 to 9
August, 1992. Then, from 4 to 7 February, additional celebrations
were held for the 79th Fighter Squadron and, in early
March, for the 77th Fighter Squadron.

The wing team deployed to Green Flag 93 at
Nellis AFB, Nevada from 2 March, 1993 to 2 April 1993. The first
day night Green Flag incorporated night low level operations and
live weapons delivery.

The 79th Fighter Squadron
inactivated on 23 April 1993, with the last aircraft departing
RAF Upper Heyford on 10 May.

On 4 June 1993, the 77th Fighter
Squadron participated in Excalibur 93 taking first place by
beating all other USAFE units, including F-15Es and F-16s.

The 55th Fighter Squadron
participated in the Aalborg Air show, Netherlands, from 4 to 7
June 1993.

On 9 July, 1993, the 77th
Fighter Squadron inactivated. The last aircraft departed in
August.

The 55th Fighter Squadron
deployed six aircraft to Incirlik AB, Turkey, for Dynamic Guard
93, from 20 September to 8 October 1993. This was the last
operational deployment for the 20th Fighter Wing while
at RAF Upper Heyford.

The last of the fighter squadrons, the
55th, inactivated on 15 October 1993.

Final Departure The AARDVARK Goes to Various Burial Grounds

Last three F-111Es to leave marking the end of
20th FW's flight operations at RAF Upper Heyford.

On 19 October 1993, aircraft 68-120 went to
the Imperial War Museum in Duxford where it is now on display.
(68-120 is painted as The Chief; it was the wing's
alternate flagship).

The last of the wing's three aircraft
departed Upper Heyford on 7 December 1993. The flagship of the
55th Fighter Squadron, aircraft 68-055 Heartbreaker,
departed first. It went to Robbins AFB, Georgia, where it is now
on display. The next aircraft, 68-061 The Last Roll of the Dice,
departed for the Davis Monthan AFB "boneyard".
Finally, aircraft 68-020 The Chief, flew to Hill AFB, Utah, where
it is now on display at the Hill AFB Aerospace Museum.

In its last years at Upper Heyford, the
F-111 finally showed that it was a mature system. The
20th's F-111Es had their best maintenance
statistics in 13 years in 1992, and the best maintenance
statistics in F-111 history in 1993. The fully mission capable
(FMC) rate surged to 88.8%, while cost per flying hour dropped
from $1,136 to just over $700. Also the wing scored an Excellent
on its Nuclear Surety Inspections for 1991 and 1993, again
showing ability and determination despite the draw down and
closure of Upper Heyford.

Rebirth Begins at Shaw AFB

On 15 December 1993, the flight line at RAF
Upper Heyford was closed. On 1 January 1994, the 20th
Fighter Wing inactivated at RAF Upper Heyford and reactivated
without personnel or equipment at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. (The
363rd Fighter Wing was inactivated at Shaw AFB on 31
December 1993.) The 55th, 77th, and
79th Fighter Squadrons reactivated on the same day.
The 20th's forty-one years in England had
slipped quietly into history. The 78th FS was reactivated on 1
January 1994.

55th FS A-10 during live fire training. USAF Photo

The 55th FS flew the A/OA-10
THUNDERBOLT II and 77th, 78th and
79th FSs flew the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon. On 3 January
the 55th FS lost its A/OA-10 aircraft and personnel
and would remain unmanned until 7 July 1996 when they received
the F-16CJ. The 78th FS was deactivated on 30 June
2003. Initially the 55th FS was to be deactivated, but
after some discussion it was decided to retain the
55th FS for several reasons. The 55th had
been with the 20th FW since 1930 and is the oldest of
the four squadrons. The Bushmasters were redesignated the
78th Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 May 2006 at Nellis
AFB, NV.